


Winters Shadow

by Paige_SJ_Black



Series: Shadows of Winter [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Major Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-18 20:06:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4718819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_SJ_Black/pseuds/Paige_SJ_Black
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two months after Bucky Barnes is captured by Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, he is starting to go back to normal. But what will happen when he finds out the truth when it comes to the mysterious Morgan Knight? Will he want to go back to the man he once was a long time a go, or will he want to stay as the emotionless Winter Soldier? What happens when an old friend reappeared as the Avengers latest enemy? </p><p>All shall be revealed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I only own Morgan Knight and her allias, all other rights go to Marvel, Stan Lee, Marvel Co writers and the actors who portray the characters in film. Happy Reading.

On November 12th 2015 Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers finally caught the illusive Bucky Barnes, after he got his cybernetic arm trapped in a vice. They had taken him back to Avengers tower when Tony insisted he be put in isolation as they don't know what he is capable of, or if he is even able to go back to the man he was before. That was two months ago. At this moment Bucky Barnes is still in isolation, but he continuously calls the same name over and over again, each time with no response, at least not from Tony. Steve and Sam try their best to explain what happened to the owner of the name Bucky calls out. 

“Morgan! Morgan! MORGAN!” shouted Bucky from inside his glass cell, each time he was getting louder, at the rate he was going he would be able to wake the entire block surrounding the tower or he would be loud enough for HYDRA to be able to pin point him, so they could get their sticky hands on him again, and turn him back in the machine he had been for the last seventy odd years. Tony as normal was watching Bucky through the camera feed, he felt sorry for the man in away but refused to have anything to do with him, since the revelation and all. It wasn't long before Steve and Sam joined him. 

“You're not so dead best friend is calling for Morgan again” said Tony not even bothering to look over at Steve when he said this with a hit of sarcasm in his voice. Sam looked over at him, still unaware of who Morgan actually was, assuming it was someone that Bucky had worked with during his time as The Winter Soldier. Steve sighed knowing that Bucky wasn't going to believe it but he had to be told, he had been avoiding telling Bucky that Morgan was gone, she wasn't coming back, he knew all to well that it would break Bucky's heart to learn that. 

A few minutes later, Steve left his two tower mates and went down stairs to where Bucky was being held, when he got there he noticed that some of the pictures were on the far glass wall, the pictures were the ones he gave to Bucky when he first started to shout for Morgan. It brought a sad smile to his face to remember her, he missed her, all of the things he had done since waking up was in her memory, Bucky's too but not so much now he was revealed to be alive. Bucky stood up straight away when he seen Steve coming towards his cell, he had quietened down as well. Steve knew Sam and Tony would be watching but didn't care at least not any more, his main focus was now Bucky and getting him back to normal. 

“Morgan, where is she? She would never leave me and you alone like this” said Bucky voice full of hope, he was aware that it had been seventy years, but still he hoped that Morgan was alive with them, Steve had survived and hadn't aged a day since they last seen each other. So he had come to the conclusion that Morgan too must be with them somewhere. Hope was glistening in his eyes, that he could see the girl he cared for so much again. 

“Morgan she was declared K.I.A during World War II remember, a bomb went off two feet in front of her, the force of the blast, threw her from the cliff” said Steve in reply, understanding why Bucky had so much hope and why he was refusing to remember what happened to the third member of the trio. “I'm sorry Buck, I know how much Morgan meant to you, she would have wanted you to have these” added Steve, seeing the hope in Bucky's eye diminish at hearing what he feared, that his Morgan, the only person who he held onto through everything was dead. When Steve opened the door, he didn't even move, he moved to the opposite side of the cell, slid down the wall and put his head in his hands trying to hold back his emotions. 

Steve came and sat besides him, giving him the dog tags that once belonged to Morgan, her name, and date of birth was written on to one side. Morgan Knight 13-08-1919. Bucky took them, holding them tightly in his hand, not sure if he wanted to remember who he once was any more, every memory he had from the past included the wacky black haired, midnight blue eyed, porcelain 24 year old woman. For the first time since he started to remember or since Steve discovered who the Winter Soldier really was, Bucky showed his emotions, letting his tears fall, and looking to his only friend left for comfort. As to be expected Bucky didn't trust anyone around him except for Steve, but even that took some work. 

Sam and Tony watched from the monitor upstairs, Tony actually surprised that the man that had killed his parents was showing just how vulnerable he really was. He felt sorry for Bucky now, he didn't think that Morgan who ever that was had meant so much to him, it made him even more curious as to who this Morgan really was. 

“Whatever you are thinking Tony, don't it's not worth the hassle” said Sam from next to him, he didn't even have to look at Tony to know that he was thinking of doing something, a smile appeared on his cheeks that he had caught the great Tony Stark off guard. It truly did amaze him how the self professed billionaire, genius, playboy. Philanthropist, could be caught off guard so easy and could be read like he himself had just done. 

“I was merely going to find information on this Morgan Knight, see what happened to her, you know since both Cap and Frosty were K.I.A as well and came back, there's a chance that she is still out there too, we just haven't come across her yet, plus the name sounds familiar” replied Tony, putting his hand over his heart acting like what Sam had said hurt him some way, like he took an offence to it. He smiled brightly when Sam looked away and back at the monitor, he had to admit he too was wondering who Morgan was and why she was so important. 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y, find all information you can on Morgan Knight” commanded Tony seemingly talking to the equipment in the lab he and Sam were standing in, that was until an Irish female voice replied to say that she was working on it now. It wasn't long before her voice came back, Tony had assumed she had the information he had asked for but was about to get a shock. 

“Sir, you need a high level S.H.I.E.L.D agent in order to access her file and any information on Morgan Knight” replied F.R.I.D.A.Y, delivering the bad news, it only made Tony wonder more of who she was, he recognised the name, and now he finds her file is virtually blocked to anyone on the outside world, she was a mystery and one that Tony was going to crack with or without help, he would prefer it if Cap and Buck would help him but would do it without their help if they chose not to help. 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y run the decoder on her S.H.I.E.L.D file, break everything that is protecting her file, I really want to get inside of it to see who this Morgan really is” said Tony, not long after he had finished her got the familiar Yes Sir, from the A,I unit. When he turned around he was met with a suspicious look from Sam, who had been joined by Rhodey without him even noticing, Clint and Natasha had appeared out of nowhere as well. Natasha looked at him, yes she was curious but she wouldn't hack in to what was left of S.H.I.E.L.D data just to find out, she would ask the people who knew the person then look in to files. 

“Why don't you just ask Cap and Bucky who Morgan was?” asked Natasha, looking over at him from the lab table that was there, Clint trying to ignore everything happening and focusing on what the recorded video message Laura had sent to him, smiling when Cooper and Lila appeared on the recorded message, Lila holder her baby brother Nathaniel Pietro, he missed them and would literally be lost with them, so on some distant wave length he could understand how Bucky was feeling, finding out that Morgan was indeed gone. 

“Because I don't trust Bucky and in case you haven't noticed me and Cap aren't on the best terms” said Tony in reply, by now the entire Avengers team had entered, the room where they were. Thor had not been there long and hadn't heard much of the conversation, it didn't help he was accompanied by Lady Sif and The Warriors Three, as they had agreed to help when they were needed, they were here trying to get used to how things worked, with the help of Thor and the rest of the avengers. Thor looked at Tony in confusion as to what the entire thing was about and what the answer was referring to. 

“Tony is trying to access information on Morgan Knight, someone that Cap and Bucky apparently knew, the file is locked by S.H.I.E.L.D so he is hacking into what is left of their systems to get the file. Natasha asked why he didn't asked Bucky and Steve which lead to the answer you heard” said Sam filling Thor in, who seemed to nod and continue to explain to his four companions who everyone was, minus who the illusive Morgan Knight was as he had never heard the name before. The next thing anyone knew Cap had brought Bucky up to the main floor where they all were, it was clear to most of them that Bucky had been crying, and didn't particularly want to be around others, but was doing it for Cap. 

“Who's Morgan?” asked Tony, almost as soon as he seen them, he was regretted it slight when he was hit up side the head by Natasha and received a rather cold death glare from Bucky, it was clear as day that Bucky didn't trust Tony, or believed he was someone else. “Aw” shouted Tony after the hit by Natasha, she only smiled at him before walking over to Bucky. She had already forgiven him for trying to killer her, understanding that, that wasn't the real Bucky, but the Winter Soldier, she had even been down to tell him when he was in the glass cell. She now considered Bucky a friend and had already been told about Morgan but promised not to tell anyone else. 

“Well you deserved it, would like it if Pepper was killed and some random person you don't trust came up and asked you who she was as soon as you entered a room?” asked Natasha, explaining in a cryptic way why she had hit Tony, he thought about what she said for a few minutes before shaking his head No in reply, he wouldn't like if he lost Pepper and someone did what he just did to Steve and Bucky to him, for once he actually felt guilty for something he had done. 

“Sir Director Fury and Agent Coulson are on the line” suddenly came F.R.I.D.A.Y's voice, interrupting the awkward silence that had fallen on the team of mighty hero’s, the asgardian and the super assassin. Tony took a deep breath, thinking that was actually perfect timing for the A,I unit to say something. Although he was sure everyone of them were curious as to what the two wanted, Bucky more confused as he was sure he killed Nick Fury, that night when he was in Steve's apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

I only own Morgan and Valentine Knight all other rights go to Marvel, Stan Lee, co-creators of Marvel and The actors who portrayed characters mentioned. In this Pietro was never killed and is actually set in the future of such.

It wasn't long before a hologram of the two appeared in the lab, it came as a surprise to most of the avengers who were under the impression that Phil Coulson was killed by Loki back in 2012 which had given the team the motivation they need to defeat him and his army and save both New York and the world. As for Nick Fury, most believe he had been killed by none other than the Winter Soldier, last year in 2014. well that was until he made his appearance to Tony at Barton Residents, to get him to see the light and understand what they had to. 

“Now what is it, you Tony Stark would want with Morgan Knight's file?” asked Nick getting straight to the point and missing the pleasantries. Nick was had been informed by Natasha that Bucky Barnes had been caught and was now getting back to the man he once was, so he figured it would be either her, Sam or Steve that asked for the file, so she was rather Shocked to see it was Tony after it. Phil just looked from one to the other, not sure whether he should get into this one, knowing from experience what the pair could be like when they got in to a bickering argument. 

“The name she sounds familiar, plus she is a friend of Bucky and Steve who were both pronounced as Killed In Action as well and ironically they are both still alive, so I was wondering if it was possible that she two was still out there somewhere” explained Tony, Bucky who had been staring at the floor most of the time, or quietly talking with Natasha suddenly looked to Tony, now only placing the man and feel a little more guilty than he already was for the families of those he killed. Pietro and Wanda just stayed quiet, unsure of what was going on. 

“Okay, I will send the file to Natasha, Steve and Sam, since they are the ones helping Bucky get back or as close as possible to who he once was, it is up to them and Bucky who actually sees her file, and Clint had the same thought, and has been looking for any trace of her using an old picture, since it was revealed Bucky was the Winter Solider” replied Nick before signing off the call, it appeared to come as a shock to Steve that they were already looking for Morgan in case she was out there. 

“Which picture do you have?” suddenly asked Bucky, trying to be as nice as possible, he didn't want to go back into isolation again, he had spent two months there and felt like he was a prisoner again like he had felt before. He was thankful though that there was those who were willing to help after everything he had done as the Winter Soldier and surprised to learn that Morgan was suspected to still be alive. He could understand the lack of trust with the others. 

“This one, the last know picture of the three of you before being separated by the war, taken by Morgan's twin brother Valentine” said Clint before putting the picture up for all of them to see, Steve was surprised at the picture, as it was the last known one of him before he became the super soldier he was today. It brought a smile to his face at seeing it again as it brought some of the forgotten memories back. 

“The one at Stark Expo back in the forties” suddenly said Bucky a sad smile appearing on his face, at seeing her smiling back at him as well as seeing what Steve and himself used to look like, the memories of her were coming back slowly but that also meant the faces of the people he killed and the images of the crime scenes were also coming back too. Everyone looked to Bucky when he said that, it was now clear to them that he remembered Morgan more than anyone from his memories, the question on most minds was. Why. 

“There has been pictures caught of another HYDRA assassin, female, Caucasian, waist length black hair that is loose, cybernetic right arm, but there is no way we can be sure of it she is, since her face is always covered by black googles and a mask” said Clint, bringing the best picture of the female assassin up. It was then that Bucky's face when from one of remembrance to one of shock and recognition, he had seen this unknown assassin before. 

“HYDRA called her Shadow, we were teamed up together on many occasions, she is very quiet when doing a job. If I ever need back up on missions, they would send her, she was emotionless like I was but, had restrictions on who she was sent after. If anyone failed then she was sent in their place. She has a skill for hiding within the shadows hence her name” said Bucky, realising who she was, and revealing that he had worked with her on several occasions, that he knew of she had never failed when sent of out, and always his back up if he needed it, they made a good team hence why HYDRA sent them on most occasions instead of a band of soldiers. 

“Right so we now know who she is thanks to Bucky, now we just need to find out who she was before HYDRA turned her into Shadow?” said Steve not really impressed that there is another person like Bucky out there, his hopes of Bucky being the only one had just come crumbling down. “We have just received Morgan's file but I'm not sure how much it will help, since Bucky is the closest to her here he gets to decide who sees the file and Clint is there any other leads that could possibly be Morgan” asked Steve directly at Clint, curious at what else there could be. 

“Morgan's status was changed from K.I.A to M.I.A by Howard Stark and Peggy Carter who both expressed their opinions that she could still be out there, due to the discovery of a blood trail at the bottom of the cliff she fell off. They also believe that HYDRA were the ones who had taken her from the cliff, having a use for her, since she was one of your close friends. Both of them believed that HYDRA would use her against S.H.I.E.L.D and she had Intel on SSR since she would for them” replied Clint revealing that Morgan was presumed Missing In Action after almost seventy years, which meant that S.H.I.E.L.D themselves still believed she could be out there. 

“Howard Stark continued to find any evidence that HYDRA indeed had her until is death in 1991, after his death, S.H.I.E.L.D sealed all files to do with Morgan, but was missing the part of his major discovery, it is thought to have been with the things left to his only child Anthony Stark” read Sam, shocking everyone that Howard refused to believe she was dead and that Tony may have important Intel on her, just unaware that he had it. Tony appeared to be speechless at the sudden revelation that he had important data on Morgan this whole time and never even knew it. 

“Why would my dad continue to look for someone he didn't even know?” asked Tony, not sure how to react to the news and slowly piecing things together, on why is father could have been killed in the first place, was it possible that he found something that HYDRA wanted to keep and secret so they sent The Winter Soldier aka Bucky to silence him before he could reveal whatever he had found to anyone else. If it was true then he had the data that his father had collected, he had what HYDRA had killed his dad for. 

“Howard did know Morgan, the picture of the three of us together was taken the night before she was assigned to protect your father, to be his assistant. She stayed with him up until she was presumed dead” replied Steve informing Tony that his father had actually known Morgan and considered her a close friend, since she was there whenever he need help with something and always covered for him if he was helping Peggy or Steve himself out with something. Morgan to most was a brilliant SSR agent, as she put others before herself, even if that meant she would get hurt. 

“Incording to Peggy Carter, in a report she wrote. Howard refused to give up on finding her, as he believed she was a hero, who gave her life in order to complete an assignment, she never cared if she was hurt, she would always put others before herself. At the decision of the three founders of S.H.I.E.L.D her name was added to the Wall of Valor along with Bucky Barnes since to both herself and Howard they were hero's who gave their lives in service of their country. Although Howard never told her what he had actually found out, he did say it had something to do with what happened to both Morgan Guinevere Knight and James Buchanan Barnes” said Natasha quickly reading over the report of Peggy Carter that she wrote shortly after the death of Howard. She generally did believe that Howard found something out and that thing that was had made him a target of HYDRA. 

At that moment, Tony left the room in search of the missing Intel his father had given him for what appears to be safe keeping, HYDRA apparently thought the information died with him and S.H.I.E.LD never came after the information, so they must of assumed that Tony himself had thrown it away not realising what it was or he didn't even know that he had, or where it was kept, he wanted to know what it was his father was killed for, and what was so important about it that he had put it with the things that were to be given to him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken so long to update.

Tony went down to his storage area and found the boxes of things his father had left to him, rummaging through it to find anything that would resemble a flash drive or memory, he knew his father would have hidden it to make sure that it went to him rather than the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, as he was looking through the boxes he suddenly remembered something. 

“Morgan....” whispered Tony to himself, just as Rhodey come to see if he was okay, Tony looked at him before continuing on with what he was doing. Rhodey came closer to him, wondering what it was that his close friend had meant when he said the name of the young woman they were now looking for. He knew from experience when Tony said a name like that he either recognised the name or he was remembering something to do with that said name. “My dad gave me a cuddly bear when I was a kid, he said her name was Morgan and she would protect me from the shadows of the night” said Tony before Rhodey even got the chance to ask what he meant. “I think the bear has the missing Intel on the Morgan we are looking for inside it” he added, he would recognise the bear as soon as he saw it, as it was one of his favourites. 

“Your dad told you about her?” asked Rhodey, he had never heard Tony speak of his childhood, or even anything his father had given to him, he had only heard how Howard was cold towards him, but now at hearing Morgan, Tony remembered one memory where his father showed he cared, when he gave him the bear called Morgan that would protect him during the night. Tony turned back to Rhodey and nodded in reply to his question, it was all coming back to him, everything he was told about her when he was younger. 

“My dad said she was a hero, she died in service to her country when she was 24, he told me once she was his sister, I never understood it then because she had a different last name, and I had never met her, but I get it know” suddenly said Tony, a smile appearing on his face when he seen the top of the stuffed bear sticking out of a box on the far end of the storage room, he quickly made his way over to the bear and gently pulled it from the box, dusting it off, and taking it with him when he returned to the lift that would lead upstairs. He readjusted the black bow around its neck and smiled when he seen the big midnight blue eyes looking at him again. 

“Where did you go off to?” asked Clint as soon as he seen Tony walking out of the lift, he found it a little odd that the man was holding on to an old teddy bear, but he had a feeling it was something important to him, or to finding Morgan. Tony gave him I'll explain in a minute look before standing in the middle of the room with the teddy bear still in his arms, he remembered cuddling it at night, and telling it his deepest emotions when he was scared, sad or just wanted to talk to someone. 

“The answer to Legolas's question, I went to the storage room to look for the Intel. But while I was down there I remembered my dad gave me a teddy bear called Morgan when I was younger, he said she would protect me while I was asleep, but he also said she would become important in the future” explained Tony, seeing some of the blank looks staring back at him, he smiled at them, amazed that Bruce had yet to catch one to what he meant. “I think my dad hid the Intel in the teddy bear, knowing that it would be given to me” added Tony seeing the light-bulb on Bruce's head suddenly turn on when he realised what he was on about. Bruce went over to Tony finding a little zip of sort under one of the legs, undoing it to find what looked like a memory stick, but way before it's time. 

“F.R.I.D.A.Y, can you read what's on the stick please” said Bruce, curious as to what they will find on the stick, Bucky and Steve looked on confused but also thankful that they might get some idea on what might have happened to their missing member, Clint looked back at his tablet and continued to try and find some other lead on Morgan, as well as keeping an eye on this Shadow, Natasha went over to help him, they both knew there was only one way to make sure that Shadow was not the brainwashed Morgan, but didn't want to give them that idea until there was more evidence to prove their theory. 

“Whoa!” suddenly expressed Steve looking at all the different theories that Howard had come up with when it come to Morgan, one was that she was dead but a group of soldiers had found her and buried her somewhere, another she was taken to a medical camp away from the front line, but due to a head injury didn't remember anyone or anything. The third theory was that HYDRA had found her at the bottom of the cliff and taken her either for their own purposes or because she had valuable information that they needed. Clint and Natasha looked around at all the evidence that was provided for each theory.

“Well Howard ruled out the possibility of being taken to a medical place outside of the front line, due to no records of a female, Caucasian women with black hair, blue eyes being admitted, there was also no record of anyone with significant blood loss, a serious arm injury or head injury being admitted or anyone with injuries consistent with falling from a cliff” said Bruce, looking at the evidence that Howard had complied on that theory and also understanding how he had come to the conclusion of this not being what happened to her. 

“It also appears he ruled out the theory of her being killed and buried by soldiers at the bottom of the cliff, it does say he found several unmarked graves at the base of the cliff, but when dug up all were male, and had been killed by gun shot wounds or by blasts going off near them. If that is the case then that means he believes that Morgan was found by HYDRA and was either killed when they got what they wanted or she is like Bucky was” said Natasha, if that was the case then there was a very high probability that she is still on ice somewhere. 

“Hold on Steve Bucky how tall was Morgan?” asked Clint, thinking something that could make everything even worse that before, the pair looked at each other before noticing that everyone's attention was focused on them. While Clint was waiting he isolated the picture of Morgan from the one he was give of the three of them together and also got the clearest picture of Shadow, putting them together in the middle of the room. 

“5ft 7” answered Bucky looking at the two pictures before the group, he caught on to why Clint was asking, if the theory was right then she is as lost as he was, and he had been around her the entire time and never actually knew it. It also meant she would have gone through the same as he had, and was going to end up having the nightmares when the memories come back, and she was likely to be a lot worse than he was, even if she did have restrictions, he remembered one mission that would break her if this what had become of Morgan. 

“Look at the two, both Morgan and this Shadow have pale skin, and both have black hair, they also appear to be the same height” said Clint, seeing the look of Steve's face it was almost like he was in disbelief, if it was true then both of his best friends would have been used and put through hell by HYDRA just because it would cause pain to him. Bucky wasn't that much better, but he knew he would be able to help if it was true. 

“There's only one way to find out for sure if Shadow is Morgan and that is to get HYDRA's attention to the point they would send her out” suddenly said Natasha, it was just thinking of an idea where HYDRA would send her out, would they risk losing her like they had lost Bucky, now that Bucky was no longer the Winter Solider then she was their best assassin and if Bucky had said the truth about Shadow then she was going to be just as dangerous if not worse than he was. 

“We've got the bait” suddenly come the voice of Tony making everyone look to him. “Speedy, and Scarlet over there were with HYDRA, as was Frosty and Cap has been a target of theirs for years, what more do we need” added Tony, he made a fair point to it, it was just convincing one to risk everything to get possibly the worst HYDRA assassin sent after them, in this case it was likely be easier said than actually done. Everyone in the room looked at each other wondering if one of the four would actually risk everything or if they would find another way to get HYDRA's attention, either way they had to be quick about it. 

That's when it happened, the sound of glass smashing hit the group, and someone crying out in pain. Everyone looked over to where the cry come from seeing Rhodey had fallen to the floor and was holding his right shoulder, Bucky looked over to where the shot had likely come from, realising almost straight away who it was that had shot and severally wounded Rhodey, he also knew that he most likely wasn't the target but the distraction. 

“It's her, Shadow” said Bucky getting the attention of the others, “Rhodey isn't her target he was just the distraction” he added, putting the group on high alert, they waited for the next shot to come but when it didn't they became curious what she was up. Their attention turned back to Rhodey when he screamed out again, this time in a more agonizing pain than before. “She used electrified bullets” suddenly said Bucky again, remembering when she used them for the first time, he knew she would make her appearance known soon as she was also sent to get her victims close on rather than from a distance. 

As Bucky thought it wasn't long before the master assassin made her appearance, quickly coming through the already smashed window, moving away from it just as fast to make sure no one could push her out of it. Although none of the towers occupants knew who her target was they were attempting to guess. It became more obvious when she pulled her 9mm hand gun out and pointed it at Clint. That when both Pietro and Bucky made a spur of the moment decision, one ran towards Clint where as the other ran straight at Shadow. 

“You didn't see that coming?” asked Pietro his Skovian accent showing through, with a hint of cheek and sarcasm in there. Shadow got back up picking her gun up again but soon dropped it once more when the blue flash went passed again. Pietro had come up with the idea of knocking her out for the time being until they could figure out what they were going to do with her. “What should we do with her?” asked Pietro, catching her and gently lowering her to the ground when he managed to knock her unconscious. He had a few scratches across his right cheek where she had caught him off guard. 

“Put her into isolation” suddenly said Bruce in reply, Steve went over to where she lay on the floor shortly followed by Bucky, both curious to see if the woman under the mask was indeed the presumed dead Morgan or someone else that HYDRA had brainwashed and turned into a weapon for their own personal use. Bucky took a deep breath before removing her mask that covered her nose and lips, then removing the googles shortly after. Both men looking in horror and relief, the horror because it was indeed Morgan but the relief because they had finally found her. 

“No don't put her into isolation, that's Morgan, put her in the spare bedroom, I'll make sure there is constant watch over her and get F.R.I.D.A.Y to lock the door until one of us enter, that way it will make her feel a little more comfortable, and us seem less of a threat to her” said Tony interrupting Bruce's line of thought, he didn't want someone who his father cared for to be put in a place she didn't know. He would have done the same for Bucky had he not ran when he remembered who he was. 

Bucky carefully picked Shadow up from the floor, following the lead of Steve, while Bruce looked to Tony for an explanation on the decision in which he had made. Thor got up along with Lady Sif and The Warriors Three, while Clint and Natasha went over to Rhodey, seeing that the bullet that he was hit with hadn't hit any manger arteries, just the muscle and maybe the bone. Wanda and Pietro looked at each other but stayed to the side along with Vision who watched at what had just happened, quickly putting it together why Shadow had been sent after Clint rather than one of the obvious targets such as Thor, Tony, Bucky or even Steve. 

“Why would you put someone who has just tried to kill two friends in to a spare bedroom rather than isolation?” asked Bruce clearly not happy with the decision but knew it would be pointless to argue with the owner of the building and both leaders of the team. Tony looked over to each of his tower mates wondering how he is going to talk them around to it. 

“because she doesn't need to be put into a glass cell wondering when she is going to be used again, she needs to know that we aren't the people who have done this to her, she needs to know that we aren't the enemy but the people who will treat her like the woman she once was, like a human being rather than the weapon they turned her into” explained Tony, he looked at each one of them, seeing the uncertainty in their eyes “I would have done the same for Bucky had he not disappeared when he remembered who he was, I get he never had a choice who he killed hence why I wont tell him the names, just like I wont tell Morgan the names of her ones” added Tony adding to his explanation. 

“There is something else about Morgan or Shadow” suddenly said Clint causing all those that remained to look towards him, he didn't know how he was going to tell them. “HYDRA sent Morgan and Bucky as the Winter Soldier and Shadow to terminate Katherine and Ryan Harris in 1973, Katherine Harris was the widower of Valentine Knight, Morgan's older twin brother, who was assassinated in 1954 by HYDRA” added Clint seeing the look of the others faces and noticing that Steve had re-entered the room, in honesty it looked as if someone had slapped him.


	4. Chapter 4

“She is going to be devastated when she finds out about her brothers death and about Katherine. Even worse when she finally remembers that she is responsible for their deaths” replied Steve he knew that she would have no memory on what happened to Valentine as she had already been transformed into Shadow at that point, and it was highly unlikely that HYDRA would send her after another that could reactivate her wiped memories or reverse what they had done to her in terms of mind control. They would have known that Valentine would be the one to bring back the real Morgan rather than the weapon they had turned her into, the question was who was sent to assassinate him. 

A couple of months later seen Morgan making some progress her memories were coming back. At first she went into herself believing that she was in some advanced HYDRA base that she didn't recognise, she went even worse when Bruce entered her room wearing a lab coat, it got the point where Bucky had to go in and calm her down so that Bruce could take blood samples where she didn't attack him. Tony had quickly realised what the problem was and explained to her via com-link that they didn't mean any harm to her and that they weren’t the people who had turned her in to the weapon that she had become. He also explained to her who he was. 

“Well Morgan seems to be making progress, but I wouldn't let her out of the room for another couple of weeks, we still don't know what her reaction will be to the world now. The last time she was even close to being herself was 1944 over seventy years ago” said Bruce looking over the file they had compiled on both sides of the woman they were working on. Both the Morgan side and the deadly Shadow side. Bruce was being cautious considering he had made the mistake of going in there with a lab coat on and got attack every time due to Morgan seeing it and believing he was HYDRA. In Tony's eyes he had it coming, especially when he was told several times that it was the lab coat that was giving her the impression he was working with the same people that had put her through years of hell. 

“Her nightmares are getting worse, and she is refusing to speak about them. I have a list of everyone she was sent after to assassinate, Barton and Natasha put it together like they did with Bucky, we figured out that her restrictions were to only go after people over the age of twenty one, any younger than that and she wouldn't even touch them, she would just stand there. Steve also told us something rather interesting concerning both Bucky and Morgan” replied Tony, he knew that Bruce wasn't around when Steve shared the information, although Tony himself had added it to the files he had on the pair of them, he had to admit he was surprised his father never mentioned this to him considering it was quite important and would explain why Bucky was so eager to help whenever he could. Bruce looked at him in confusion, it was obvious that he hadn't figured it out yet, even with how Bucky acted towards Morgan. “Bucky and Morgan married on September 17th 1939, technically they are still married, both were presumed M.I.A, neither were put as dead, and SHIELD never changed it, Bucky remembered their wedding day a couple of days ago, when he suddenly frozen as he was talking with her, he wrote it down and showed it to Steve who told the rest of us” added Tony revealing that Bucky had indeed remembered the date they were married, all he wanted to do was help the woman that he had once loved. 

“That explains why he was shouting her name when he first came to us, you know when he was in isolation. Either he knew back then that they were married or she was something that he held on to when going through whatever HYDRA did to him” replied Bruce smiling slightly, it was like a long love story, he was aware from Steve that they knew each other from childhood, now he finds out they were married, separated when Morgan was put as M.I.A, now after seventy years of being assassins for HYDRA they had been reunited although Morgan had no clue that they were married, she at least remembered who both Bucky and Steve were. “You know she had recently remembered her brother right. She has no idea that it is seventy years later or that the world she knew no longer exist, that the war was won and is now over” added Bruce wondering what they were going to do, they couldn't hide the truth from her forever, and eventually they would have to tell her that her older twin was indeed dead. 

Back in the main room, Morgan had been introduced to everyone Bucky and Steve had let her out the room at the order of Tony who had actually been distracting Bruce so that he wouldn't notice. To the surprise of both Clint and Rhodey, Morgan had apologised for trying to hurt them, and she had also apologised to Pietro she could tell just by looking at the scars down his cheek that she had done some damage when he was attempting and apparently succeeded in stopping her before she got to her target. Bruce only realised she was missing from the room when he looked at the camera and couldn't see her in the room, he knew Tony had something to do with by the innocent look that he had plastered on his features. 

When the pair of them entered the living room, they had a little shock to see furniture destroyed, and most of the occupants hiding as best they could. Morgan in the middle of the room appearing to be the one who had destroyed the furniture, it was clear to see that she was upset about something, as well as angry and appeared to be heart broken. Cap was near where they were standing pulled them out of the way, he quickly explained that when he entered the room, she was in tears about something, but her tears turned in to anger shortly after, she hadn’t said a word to anyone, instead she was letting her anger for whatever it was that upset her out on the furniture in the room, it also appeared she wasn't aware they were still in the room. It was then that something clicked with Bucky, especially when he noticed a file on the floor not to far from where he was. 

“Who was it that came up with the idea that Loki act like Valentine?” asked Bucky, seeing both Steve and Tony look over to Bruce, he nodded his head confirming that it was his idea although he still had no idea where this was going. “Well then you are the one she is angry at, she knows that Loki isn't Valentine, that her brother is actually dead” added Bucky quickly ducking when something was thrown his way. He could understand her pain, but his went away when he was told of the possibility that she was alive, her pain wouldn't go away that easily as she had lost her twin and they had tried to hide it from her instead of telling her the truth. It was then that Bucky suddenly stood up, he noticed how Thor had hold of her and that she had now broken down in tears once again. When he finally let her go, she didn't look up at them instead she slumped to her knees, no longer knowing anything. 

“If this is what it feels like being normal again, then I don't want it. I would rather be the emotionless killer they made me” suddenly whispered Morgan, she got up after that leaving the tower, Bucky and Steve looked towards her, they had never expected her to act like that but they could understand it, Bucky had warned Steve not to let them get Loki to pretend to be Valentine, that it would be easier to tell her the truth, yet they still lied to her and now because of their decision, Morgan the one person they were trying to return to normal had left the tower after saying she didn't want to go back to who she once was if this is what it felt like. 

“I told you not to let them do it, now because of Bruce's brilliant idea, Morgan has left the tower, she wont forgive so easily” suddenly said Bucky, he was angry at what happened, over the weeks he had been helping her to remember, he had fallen in love with her all over again, he remember so many things they did together. Bruce looked like he was in denial about what had happened, but the way Bucky looked at Steve was probably the worst since Steve knew he could have stopped them going through with the idea they had, yet he let them convince him that it was a good idea, worst of all he knew that Bucky knew that, hence the burning anger in his eyes at what had happened. 

“I didn't know this was going to happen, I was only trying to do what was best fo.........” replied Bruce but was cut of before he had the chance to finish what he was saying, he could tell that Bucky was angry, Tony at this point had left, he was aware that there were people out there, Morgan's family members to be exact that would recognise her and also try and help her as much as they could before contacting him or one of the Avengers, he knew he had to get to her first. He was the only one who could take her to where her brother was laid to rest and also explain everything to her. 

“She trusted us, now she isn't only angry that she wasn't told about Valentine being dead, and upset about it, she is feeling betrayed as well. She doesn't know the difference between us and HYDRA any more, she thought we were helping her yet she has just found out that the one person who was always there for her is dead, I was lucky there was a chance that she was still alive, but there is no chance that Valentine is going to come back” shouted Bucky, his anger was clearly showing though his voice especially when Bruce said he was trying to do what was best for her. “Don't try and say this was what was best for her. I told Steve to tell her the truth, yet he let you convince him otherwise. You betrayed her trust and broke her heart. I hope you're happy” said Bucky a little more calmer before heading towards the elevator, it was clear he was done with the conversation, like it was clear he was going to attempt to find her. 

That is when a beeping noise could be heard, Pepper quickly entered the room and pressed the button to it, she recognised the man on the other end of it but knew that no one else would. He didn't work for any top secret company, in fact he was a criminal lawyer. She smiled at him waiting for him to speak. 

“Hi Pepper, I found Morgan. I have already sent the co-ordinates to our location to Tony, he said he was on his way and asked me to inform you as well. I know it's odd but it's weird to come across a family member who hasn't aged a day in seventy years, dad is right she does look like grandpa, if there is anything I can do in the future to help just let me know and I will be there as I am sure the rest of the family are” said the man in the video message, Pepper knew that the only two people in the room who would recognise the man would be Clint and Natasha as they had filmed him in the park a few weeks ago along with Valentine JR. when the message disappeared, she knew there was a few of them looking at her waiting for her to explain, since she was the only one to really know why the man in his mid to later thirties had gotten in contact with her. 

“Before you ask that was Owen Knight, he is the son of Valentine JR. Morgan's nephew. When Valentine was killed his wife Katherine was carrying their child, the man she married Ryan Harris raised Valentine JR as his own, they told his the truth when he turned twelve. Howard made sure that every generation of the Knight family would know about Morgan, Bucky and Steve, that if they were to see Bucky or Morgan to contact us or one of you. No member of the family believed that she was dead, Valentine has often looked up her name hoping one day to meet his aunt who his mother told was a hero. Katherine was the only one to figure out that Bucky was actually the Winter Soldier and Morgan was Shadow, she was assassinated along with her husband the morning before she could tell Howard or Peggy what she had found out” explained Pepper, she had closed down the doors to the building before Bucky had gotten out, leading the man to return to the floor just in time to hear the last part of her explanation. “Tony has gone to get her, he will explain everything to her or at least everything he knows” added Pepper, she knew Tony would never break a promise he made to her, especially when it come to someone that meant so much to his father. 

Tony had arrived at the location he was given, thanking Owen and putting Morgan on board the Quin-jet, he understood why she was so heartbroken, and that she was feeling betrayed. Hence why he was going to do what he had promised Pepper he would do. He wasn’t going to keep her in the dark about who she really was any longer. Instead he was going to tell her the truth, or at least everything he knew, the only one who could tell her every else she was missing was Steve and to an extent Bucky, since he was the one who married her, she was yet to be told that one as well. 

“Alright Morgan, I'm not going to take you back to the tower just yet, instead I am going to explain everything to you that I know, why you weren't put in isolation when we first caught you, what my father told me about you, all the information he found out on what might have happened to you, everything, however who you were before you will have to ask Bucky and Steve since as you remembered they were your childhood friends” suddenly said Tony taking the Quin-jet into the air and making sure he had the co-ordinates of where he was going to be taking her, he knew this would break her heart but at least she would know. 

When the he landed the Quin-jet, they were in a cemetery. He walked along with Morgan for a few minutes before coming to a halt in front of five graves. He knew one of them was what she was looking for and by the way her tears fell, it broke her heart more than he thought it would. He was aware that they were twins which is probably why it hurt her so much. He watched as she placed her left hand over the tomb stone tracing the words with her human hand, he could tell that she was hurt. Even more so when she looked over to Katharine’s grave that was next to Valentine's, she just tensed up and froze like she was remembering something, it was only when she looked away from that grave could he tell that she felt guilt for something. 

“Valentine was assassinated on July 27th 1954 shortly after the creation of Shield, HYDRA hired an unknown assailant who committed suicide shortly after being captured and before he could be asked any questions, he was given a proper soldiers funeral with the American flag being given to his pregnant widow Katherine. He never gave up on you Morgan, he never believed you were dead, Katherine kept all of the work he had on you hoping one day she would discover the truth and be able to tell her son that his father died trying to find the truth on his younger twin. Instead she joined him before she could tell my dad or Peggy Carter what she had found out” said Tony explaining when Valentine was killed and how neither he or Katherine had given up on finding her, it was only when the horrifying truth was discovered by Katherine did it come apparent that it was going to take a long time for it to come to light. 

“I killed Katherine, I can remember it we were sent after Valentine JR, who HYDRA believed to be the son of her then husband Ryan Harris left the house. She told him to let us in. she told us that she loved me and that she forgave us for what we had to do. She knew why we were there and yet she still sacrificed herself hoping that one day we would remember who we once were” replied Morgan revealing she was the one who had killed Katherine, her own sister in law, that was one thing that Tony hadn't figured out, now he didn't have to. “Bucky was sent with me on the orders that he silence Ryan Harris to prevent him telling anyone what his wife had found out” added Morgan revealing that Bucky was there with her that day. 

“That wasn't you Morgan, that was Shadow, the killer they turned you in to, Katherine knew it wasn't the real you and she forgave you for what you were forced to do. My dad was killed for the same reason he continued looking for you. But instead he and my mum were killed in a car accident that was actually coursed by Bucky shooting out their tires. Yes I hated Bucky for it, but I came to the conclusion the man who killed my parents wasn't Bucky Barnes, it was the killer they turned him in to The Winter Soldier, I knew if Katherine could forgive you for something you didn't have control of then I could forgive Bucky” spoke Tony, he told her what he never told anyone before, that Bucky as the Winter Soldier was the one to kill his parents, he had never told Bucky since he knew it would only force the man to go into himself out of guilt for what he didn't have control of. 

“My dad used to tell me stories of you. He told me about the woman who promised him she would protect him until the very end, and how you kept that promise. Even when you went through hell at the hands of HYDRA you never told them anything about SSR, you never gave any information on what my dad was helping them with. He told me that you were one the bravest people that he had come across and had ever worked with. When I seven he gave me a white fluffy teddy bear, it had big blue eyes and a black bow around the neck. He told than it's name was Morgan and she would protect we during the night and fight all my nightmares away. Every time I asked him who Morgan was he would show me a picture of you and tell me that you were his sister that gave her life in service of the country and to make sure that he survived. He also said if it wasn't for you then he would have been killed during the war” suddenly said Tony after a few moments of silence, he knew by the way that she looked around at him she had not expect that. “You are a hero Morgan, even when you don't see it. They turned you into the monster that killed all those people. The woman that everyone remembers is the one who always did what she believed was right. Owen the one who stayed with you trying to help, he is the son of Valentine JR, he knew exactly who you were because of what my dad set up, he made sure that every generation of your family know who you were as well as Bucky and Steve. Not a member of your family believe that you were killed that day” added Tony explaining who the man who helped her really was. 

“They are better off without me” sadly replied Morgan looking at her brother grave once again. She remembered nearly everyone she had killed although she never knew their names, she was only ever given a picture of her targets. The one of victims she did know was Katherine. “I have destroyed so many lives over the past seventy years, because of what I have done. I wont destroy theirs too. They believe that I am a hero, it's better they think that rather than finding out that I am also the emotionless killer Shadow. It is better for them if I stay away” added Morgan explaining her reason for saying what she had, it was clear that she was feeling guilty for what she had done in the past. 

A couple of hours later seen Tony arrive back at the tower with Morgan in tow. He had spent the last couple of hours explaining everything he knew about her to her. And also convincing her to talk to Bucky more, he had accidentally let it slip that they were once married and by right still married, since neither were declared dead. He smiled when he re-entered the now back to normal living area that Morgan had destroyed earlier when she had found out the truth regarding her brother. Bruce welcomed them only to be punched rather hard by Morgan using her metal arm, there was a small told yah come from Bucky, from the over side of the room. 

“I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier on today when I found out Valentine was dead. I can understand why you asked Loki to pretend to be my brother. But it would have been a lot easier if I was told straight that he was dead. I would have been upset and angry but I would have felt betrayed like I did and eventually I would have gotten over it. But because you lied to me it will be hard for me to trust you again” spoke Morgan explaining that she indeed understood why they never told her Valentine was dead, but also saying that it would take a while for her to once again trust them. 

“Oh Bucky, she knows that the two of you were once married” said Tony, seeing the way Morgan turned to look at him, he gave her an innocent look after that. Causing Pepper to begin chuckling. She knew what Tony had done, he had put Morgan before anything else and explained to her all that he knew in order to understand what was happening. By the looks of things he had also explained to her that it was seventy years later and was in fact 2016, he had also explained all the technology to her as well as answered any of her questions. He smiled at Bucky, he knew one day he would have to tell them the names of everyone they had killed but was content on keep that to himself for the time being. “Maybe you can convince her to see three generations of her family starting with Valentine JR, he had spent most of his life looking for the pair of you. Even went after Cap when it was revealed he was alive” added Tony, seeing the older man smile back at him. 

“United we stand. Divided we fall” spoke Morgan, when she finally got over to Bucky, he finally pulled her towards him hugging her tightly, hearing the small clink when his left arm hit her right one since they were both metal. Steve stood near them chuckling slightly at that one, he didn't know which one was turned into an assassin first but he didn't care at this point, as he had his two best friends back.


End file.
